The PuritanBoard - View Single Post - how did your eschatological view add to your joy?

DMcFadden · #6 (**permalink**) 06-26-2008, 03:05 AM

Heidi,

I'm in a bit of flux on several issues concurrently. One of them is eschatology. During my teen years, I began reading dispensational theology pretty heavily (all 2,700 pages of Lewis S. Chafer's Sys Theo during 6 weeks when 16). Hal Lindsey was my main man when his book came out during my senior year in high school ('70-'71). Westmont converted me to historical premillennialism under Bob Gundry's powerful argumentation. Fuller only kept me moving in that direction under George Ladd.

My dispi days brought the sense of joy and satisfaction that "we were in the know" on the secrets of the universe that the liberals didn't even have a clue about. Historic premillennialism increased my satisfaction that the Bible was being treated with greater integrity and exegetical sophistication.

Currently, I am listening to Kim Riddelbarger's series on amillennialism and preparing to read Venema's The Promise of the Future. Kim's arguments seem to set the redemptive drama of the Bible in a more coherent framework than either of my two prior eschatological shema. It is a bit threatening to think of shifting major views at a few weeks short of my 55 birthday. Still, even at this age the excitement of discovery in the Word of God is an amazingly joy-filled experience.